prospect of ever amounting to anything.

But they failed to give me credit for the energy required to walk three
miles night and morning to attend the village school, which afforded
better advantages than the district school.

When but a small lad my step-father gave me a cosset lamb which I raised
with a promise from him to give me half the wool and all of the
increase.

This, in a few years, amounted to a flock of over one hundred sheep. The
sale of my share of the wool, together with the yield from a potato
patch, which was a yearly gift from Mr. Keefer, was almost sufficient to
clothe me and pay my school expenses.

I should here add, that the potatoes above mentioned were the product of
the old gentleman's labor in plowing, planting, cultivating, digging and
marketing.

While I was expected to do this work, I was seldom on hand except on the
day of planting to superintend the job and see that the potatoes were
actually put into the ground, and again on market day to receive the
proceeds. During all my life on the farm, one great source of annoyance
and trouble to my step-father was my constant desire to have him
purchase everything that was brought along for sale, and to sell
everything from the farm that was salable.

In other words, I was always anxious to have him go into speculation. I
could not be too eager for a horse trade or the purchase of any new
invention or farm implement that had the appearance of being a
labor-saving machine.

Even the advent of a lightning-rod or insurance man delighted me, for it
broke the monotony and gave me some of the variety of life.

The rapid growth and development of my flock of sheep were partially due
to my speculative desires. I was persistent in having them gratified,
and succeeded, by being allowed the privilege of selling off the fat
wethers whenever they became marketable, and replacing them with young
ewes, which increased rapidly. These could be bought for much less than
the wethers would sell for.

My step-father was a man of more than ordinary common sense, and often
suggested splendid ideas, but was altogether too cautious for his own
good, and too slow to act in carrying them out.

While he and I got along harmoniously together, I am forced to admit
that my mother and myself had frequent combats.

There, perhaps, was never a more affectionate, kind-hearted mother than
she, and I dare say but few who ever possessed a higher-strung temper or
a stro